Rivers, Herbs and World Ties
September 7, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
As high as it goes
Done and dusted
Chicken skewer
That blissful cloud
Joke or muzzle
Mine, in other words
Blot or slander
This whole crew
Linked-up parts
Just that alone
Looping into a knot
Tastes so good
Musky wild sage
Total fanatic
Only teasing
Spots it, eyes open
On gallery walls
Band's road trip
Where it's built
A German name
Blend of metals
Age told in rings
Back to the bow
Greens in a bowl
Land below Everest
TV station's jingle
Home to the taiga
Claims full rights
Foxy and cunning
Hamburg's river
Higher-ed, in short
Sudden gasp of awe
Fire truck's hue
Take to court
Eh, not really
Trees that weep
HQ in New York
Animal's small yard
Slow swamp waterway
One's collected wit
Small garden hut
Money and then some
Rivers, Herbs and World Ties — Solution
September 7, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
As high as it goes
U
Done and dusted
Chicken skewer
F
That blissful cloud
Joke or muzzle
Mine, in other words
M
Blot or slander
This whole crew
S
Linked-up parts
Just that alone
S
Looping into a knot
T
Y
I
N
G
Tastes so good
Musky wild sage
Y
U
M
M
Y
Total fanatic
Only teasing
M
A
N
I
A
C
Spots it, eyes open
S
E
E
S
J
O
K
I
N
G
L
Y
On gallery walls
Band's road trip
A
R
T
Where it's built
A German name
S
I
T
E
Blend of metals
A
Age told in rings
T
R
E
E
O
T
T
O
Back to the bow
Greens in a bowl
A
R
C
O
Land below Everest
TV station's jingle
M
Home to the taiga
Claims full rights
O
Foxy and cunning
Hamburg's river
S
L
Y
Higher-ed, in short
U
N
I
S
B
O
R
E
A
L
Sudden gasp of awe
Fire truck's hue
Take to court
R
E
D
Eh, not really
Trees that weep
HQ in New York
W
I
L
L
O
W
S
Animal's small yard
P
E
N
U
N
Slow swamp waterway
B
A
Y
O
U
One's collected wit
A
N
A
Small garden hut
S
H
E
D
Money and then some
W
E
A
L
T
H
Rivers, Herbs and World Ties — The notes
September 7, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
- UTMOSTAs high as it goesUtmost means the greatest degree or amount possible, the maximum, not just more than usual.
- FINITODone and dustedFinito is borrowed from Italian/Spanish for 'finished', used in English to say something is completely done.
- YAKITORIChicken skewerYakitori is Japanese-style skewered and grilled chicken, often served as izakaya bar food.
- NINEThat blissful cloudNine is the number after eight, also the number in 'cloud nine,' the idiom for perfect happiness.
- GAGJoke or muzzleA gag is either a joke or prank, or something used to stop someone from speaking, same word, two senses.
- MYMine, in other words'My' is the possessive form of 'I', used before a noun to show it belongs to the speaker.
- SMEARBlot or slanderA smear is a dirty streak, or, figuratively, a campaign to damage someone's reputation with false claims.
- USThis whole crew'Us' is the object form of 'we', the group including the speaker, as in 'they told us.'
- SYSTEMSLinked-up partsA system is a set of parts that work together as a connected whole, from digestive systems to subway systems.
- MEREJust that aloneMere means nothing more than what's stated, 'a mere formality.' It's also an old word for a small lake.
- TYINGLooping into a knotTying means fastening something with a knot or loop, or, in sports, matching the other side's score.
- YUMMYTastes so goodYummy is an informal, playful word for delicious, the kind of word you'd hear from a child.
- CLARYMusky wild sageClary sage is an aromatic herb used in perfumes and essential oils, valued for its musky, herbal scent.
- MANIACTotal fanaticA maniac is someone with wild, uncontrolled enthusiasm or behavior, from mild ('movie maniac') to alarming.
- JOKINGLYOnly teasingJokingly means said or done in jest, not to be taken seriously, even if it sounds that way.
- SEESSpots it, eyes openSees is the verb 'see' in third person, as in 'she sees the storm coming.'
- ARTOn gallery wallsArt refers to creative works, painting, sculpture, and more, typically what you'd see displayed in a gallery.
- TOURBand's road tripA tour can be a guided visit to a place, or a musician's series of concert dates across cities.
- SITEWhere it's builtA site is a plot of land set aside for building, or the location of something, also used for a website.
- OTTOA German nameOtto is a German first name (as in Otto von Bismarck) and, unrelatedly, another word for attar, a rose perfume oil.
- ALLOYBlend of metalsAn alloy is a mixture of two or more metals (or a metal and another element), bronze and steel are common examples.
- TREEAge told in ringsA tree is a tall woody plant, count the rings in its trunk and you can tell roughly how old it is.
- ARCOBack to the bowArco is a musical instruction meaning 'with the bow', telling string players to stop plucking (pizzicato) and bow again.
- SALADGreens in a bowlA salad is a cold dish of mixed vegetables (or fruit, grains, etc.), usually tossed with a dressing.
- NEPALLand below EverestNepal is the Himalayan country south of Mount Everest, wedged between India and China (Tibet).
- IDENTTV station's jingleAn ident is a short clip a TV channel airs between programs to identify itself, its on-air branding moment.
- BOREALHome to the taigaBoreal describes the northern forest zone, the taiga, found across Canada, Scandinavia, and Siberia.
- OWNSClaims full rightsOwns means to have legal possession of something, it's yours, free and clear.
- SLYFoxy and cunningSly means cunning or deceptive in a clever way, often compared to a fox, as in 'sly as a fox.'
- ELBEHamburg's riverThe Elbe is a major river flowing through the Czech Republic and Germany, passing through Hamburg to the North Sea.
- UNISHigher-ed, in shortUnis is British informal shorthand for universities, as in 'which uni did you go to?'
- WOWSudden gasp of aweWow is an exclamation of surprise or admiration, the sound you make when something amazes you.
- REDFire truck's hueRed is the color of fire trucks, stop signs, and blood, associated with heat, danger, and passion.
- SUETake to courtSue means to bring a legal case against someone, to take them to court.
- NAHEh, not reallyNah is an informal, relaxed way of saying no.
- WILLOWSTrees that weepWillows are trees with long, drooping branches, 'weeping willows' grow especially near water.
- UNHQ in New YorkThe UN (United Nations) is the international body founded in 1945, headquartered in New York City.
- PENAnimal's small yardA pen is a small fenced enclosure for animals, or, as a different word entirely, a tool for writing in ink.
- BAYOUSlow swamp waterwayA bayou is a slow-moving, marshy waterway typical of the Gulf Coast, especially Louisiana.
- ANAOne's collected witAna is a suffix/word for a collection of a person's memorable sayings, anecdotes, or writings.
- SHEDSmall garden hutA shed is a small outbuilding, often in a garden or yard, used for storage or tools.
- WEALTHMoney and then someWealth means an abundance of valuable resources, usually money and property, but also health, time, or knowledge.